Rodent Eros
by Blue bird of paradise
Summary: It all began when that little fur ball decided that the best place to hide was inside his pants…so how did he end up with the responsibility of helping the owner of the fur ball get over her guilt of doing something while she was too young to realize it's disastrous result?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I have made some minor changes. So, please read it again.

Hope you have a pleasant read ^_^

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><p>It wasn't a very good day for Tezuka; he usually wakes up at 6 o'clock sharp whether the alarm clock goes off or not. But today he slept in and now he is running late for morning practice. He took a quick shower, finished his morning duties and got dressed up as quickly as possible.<p>

He skipped doing Zazen today. He knew that his grandfather will be very angry with him for his tardiness. He _would_ face his punishment after school. Now, his priority is attending tennis practice, especially since he is the captain.

Ayana was setting the dining table when her son entered the room in a hurry; it was a surprise for her to see her usually well organized son in a rush.

"Ohayou Kuni-chan, you seem to be in a hurry do you want your Otou-san to drop you in school?"

"No thanks Kaa-san, I will go by bus as usual" he said while eating his breakfast. If only he knew what was going to happen in the bus-stop he wouldn't have declined the offer.

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><p><em>Same time in some other place<em>

"Akiko-chan; come down and have breakfast quickly or else you will be late to school!" yelled her mother from the kitchen.

The girl in question was playing with her new pet hamster which she bought quiet recently after much pleading with her parents.

"Hai Okaa-san, I will be there in a minute". She really didn't want to leave her pet alone, she wanted to play with it some more and she also wanted to introduce 'Shasha' (that's what she named her pet) to all her friends in school.

Now, hamsters are pretty small, so why not take Shasha to school today? (Of course it goes without saying that she's going to do it without the knowledge of her parents and teachers)

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><p>He was waiting at the bus stop for the past ten minutes. That's when he noticed that the sky was unusually dark. It was probably going to rain and he didn't bring his umbrella with him. Now he can only hope that he would reach his school before it begins to rain. Not only that, he will probably have to cancel morning practice as well. This day can't get any worse.<p>

Another five minutes passed by and still no bus in sight. He knew he was not going to make it to school on time. He had already called Ryuzaki-sensei and informed her that he will not be there for morning practice. Besides why is the road so empty? It's still early in the morning and so many unusual things are happening around him already, this is most definitely not his day. He caught sight of a small fur ball moving near his feet and that pulled him out of his thoughts.

Could it be a stray cat? No, it's too small for that. O it's a rodent!

"Shasha, quit running away from me!" a female voice shouted.

Following the voice, his gaze landed on a young girl, about the same age as him. She was wearing Seigaku's uniform. Her face looked a bit familiar as well.  
>"There you are Shasha! Don't worry me like that." said the girl after spotting the brown and white fur ball. She went closer to pickup her pet, all the while not even noticing Tezuka standing there. As if on cue, just as she bent down, the rodent hid itself inside whatever was the closest to it. At the moment, it was Tezuka; so it climbed into his pants.<p>

The stoic façade he usually wore was now completely broken.

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><p>Tbc<p>

Please R&R

A/N: Constructive criticisms are most welcomed.

Arigatou gozaimashita^_^


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I have made some minor changes in the first chapter. Please reread the first chapter before continuing.

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><p>'<em>In 1333, the Kamakura shogunate was overthrown in a coup d'état known as the Kemmu Restoration, led by Emperor Go-Daigo and…<em>

Their history teacher was teaching them about Kemmu Restoration. It was Tezuka's favorite subject. He was taking down notes diligently. He was still a bit shaken by what happened this morning. But, he cannot let that stop him from concentrating in class. There were only a few more minutes before lunch-break; he will have enough time to mull over it then.

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><p>As soon as the bell rang Tezuka packed his belongings and went to the terrace over looking the tennis courts. Just as he thought, it had rained this morning and practice was cancelled but it was only a slight drizzle so it wasn't too wet up there. He always comes here whenever he has to make important decisions or to simply sort things out in his head.<p>

What happened this morning was a really unfortunate accident. It would have damaged his reputation irreparably if Ayuzawa-san (Akiko Ayuzawa) hadn't come up with that idea.

_He was innocently standing in the bus-stop when a hamster climbed into his pants. He didn't know what to do, the ticklish sensation caused by the fur ball moving all over his lower body was too much for him to handle. He had to bite his tongue to refrain himself from squeaking like a girl and wriggling._

_Akiko on the other hand was totally unfazed by the situation. She simply pulled out her pet's favorite snack and placed it on the pavement. Her plan worked perfectly; as soon as the hamster sniffed the smell of Sunflower seeds it left its perfect hiding spot and came out to claim its treat. It was a good thing that she remembered to ask the pet shop owner about what to do if Shasha gets into naughty mood and hides under the sofa set._

The sound of footsteps approaching him pulled him out of his reverie.

"There you are Tezuka; I was just wondering where you were." It was Oishi, his vice-captain and longtime friend. From experience Tezuka knew that Oishi wouldn't disturb him without a good reason. So he patiently waited for his friend to continue.

"Um you didn't come to practice this morning and sensei said that you already informed her about it. Is everything alright Tezuka? You aren't sick are you? You should have stayed home instead of coming to school. I would have taken care of tennis practice for you."

"I am fine Oishi. You don't have to worry about me" But Tezuka was happy to know that Oishi has gained enough confidence to offer to look after tennis practice in his place. It seems that his two months of absence after the match against Hyotei has had the desired effect. The whole team seems to have matured. Now the team is more determined than ever before. His elbow injury was just a small price to pay.

"But Tezuka; the last time you didn't come to practice was when you had doctor's appointment…

"THANKS FOR TAKING CARE OF HER KUABARA-SAN" the loud voice interrupted their conversation.

Both of them turned their heads to find Akiko Ayuzawa waving and thanking Kuwabara-san (watch man) while running towards the building they were standing in.

"Hey Tezuka isn't that girl from your class?" Oishi asked and the only answer he got from his companion was a grunt.

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><p>Afternoon practice went quiet smoothly. Everybody has gone home. Tezuka was on class-room cleaning duty today. His teacher gave him permission to attend tennis practice before doing the cleaning work. So he was on his way to his class-room, when he heard a loud crash and a scream.<p>

Tbc

Please R&R

Response to reviews

Lady of Elysion: I always enjoy torturing my favorite characters. But, I can't humiliate him too much, then he will sound OOC. That's why I decided to let him go this time. More fun is ahead ^_^

Morenar: Thanks so much for your help.

Tezuka-zone at work? LOL I was thinking about a 'perfect' hiding spot. (Tezuka is always perfect for anything and everything):D


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Some of you might have noticed that I haven't given any description about Akiko's physical appearance. It's because I want to leave it to your imagination.

But if you want me to write, please say so in the review:)

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><p>Tezuka was walking towards his class-room when he heard a loud crash followed by a scream and a string of colorful curses his innocent ears couldn't decipher.<p>

The moment he opened the door to the class-room, he felt like he had opened Pandora's Box. The entire place was a total mess. It looked like as if the place was hit by a tornado. Chairs and tables were turned upside down and chalk dust polluted the air. In the center of that chaos was Akiko Ayuzawa.

"It's not my fault!" she said defensively when she saw Tezuka looking at her disapprovingly.

"Well, this wouldn't have happened if Shasha hadn't run away as soon as I opened the cage" she continued when, Tezuka didn't stop staring sternly at her.

"You shouldn't bring pets to school." he said in an authoritative voice.

"I didn't have her with me during class. I gave her to Kuwabara-san* for safe keeping!"

"That doesn't change the fact that you brought her to school."

"Um... I won't repeat it… you are not going to inform the teachers, are you?" she asked; giving him her best puppy dog look.

"…" He didn't say anything and she took his silence as a positive sign.

"Good. Now, you help me look for my pet and I'll help you clean the class. Deal?"

"You mean you haven't caught it yet?" he asked while scanning the room.

"Nope. Even the sunflower seed ploy didn't work."

Tezuka immediately locked the class room door and they both began searching for the missing hamster. He was glad the hamster wasn't this tenacious when it got into his pants this morning. He was also grateful to Akiko for not laughing at him. Perhaps that's why, he subconsciously let her off the hook for breaking one of the school rules.

In the end, Tezuka found Shasha in one corner of the room. The poor thing looked terrified, probably because of the entire ruckus Akiko made.

He grabbed a few seeds and approached it slowly and carefully he knelt down before it instead of crouching to block off any possible entries. He didn't want to go through this morning's escapade all over again.

He arranged a few seeds in a row leading towards his palm and patiently waited for the hamster to come to him. When it was close enough, he cradled it gently in his hands and placed it into the cage.

"Wow! We caught it" exclaimed Akiko, who was watching Tezuka unblinkingly the entire time.

"Okay. Now, let's clean this mess quickly," she said as she proceeded to do so.

But Tezuka took the broom from her hand. "No. You should go home now, it's getting late."

"It's all right. If it gets too late, you'll walk me home, won't you?" she asked hopefully.

In the end, it was decided that she would clean the room while he arranged the desks and chairs. They both did their own separate tasks without much interaction.

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><p>The walk home was fairly silent. Tezuka was enjoying the peace and quiet until…<p>

_Sniff sniff_

_Sniff sniff_

Akiko started sniffing his hand.

Tbc…

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><p>*Kuwabara-san- he is the school watch man.<p>

**Please read and review^_^**

**Response to reviews**

Lady of Elysion: I am sorry for the delayed update. I think that Tezuka went all out in that match not only because he wanted to win the match but also to motivate the younger team members.


	4. Chapter 4

Tezuka found it a little strange that Ayuzawa-san asked him to walk her home. They haven't even talked to each other much before today. Still, he agreed because it was only good manners to do so. But now, he's having a hard time trying to maintain his composure knowing that his companion had suddenly developed a fetish to smell people's hands and she didn't even bother to be discreet about it.

Akiko noticed Tezuka getting uncomfortable and smiled at him pleasantly in order to placate him.

But it only served to creep out the poor bespectacled teen even further.

He remembers very well his mother telling him to run away when faced with bad people, but, then he was in kindergarten. Now he is grown-up, he cannot abandon a girl in the middle of the road after having taken the responsibility of escorting her home safely. Besides, Ayuzawa-san doesn't exactly come under the list of 'bad people'.

"I was just wondering what you smell like," Akiko said suddenly.

Tezuka merely raised a brow, silently urging her to explain her insanity.

"How did you bewitch Shasha? Before you came, I was trying to catch her for more than an hour. But you caught her within 10 minutes."

_Bewitch?_

By now Akiko was standing in front of Tezuka. After holding the girl's eyes for a long moment, trying to determine if it was some sort of joke, Tezuka finally answered her question.

"Dwarf hamsters have poor eye-sight. So they consider fast movements as a threat." He said with a straight face.

"Dwarf?"

"That's the type of hamster you have."

"So there are different types in hamsters."

He nodded his head.

"Aw… you went back to sign language! Come on, Tezuka-kun. You can do better than that. You seem to know a lot about hamsters" She said, sounding a bit desperate to make him talk.

"I had a pet hamster when I was younger."

"Was it a girl or a boy?"

"Male."

"What name did you give?"

"Choji." He answered, wondering why he doesn't mind sharing these information with her.

They continued walking in silence for a few more minutes. Suddenly Akiko tugged his sleeves. When he turned around, she extended a hand in the air with one finger sticking out. An almost sheepish smile graced her lips.

Tezuka was speechless.

_Is this girl really asking me permission to go to toilet?_

"Come quickly, it won't wait!" she started pulling him by his arm.

"Why are pulling _me_?"

"How can you resist it?"

"…I don't want to go…"

"Don't worry it's my treat!"

_Treat?_

She pulled him towards a roadside stall selling _sukiyaki_ noodles_._

Mentally berating himself for thinking so ridiculously, he followed Akiko into the shop.

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><p>After their small detour, they finally reached Tezuka's house. It seems Akiko's house is just two blocks further away from Tezuka's house.<p>

"Thank you for accompanying me. I can go on my own from here." She said and started running towards her house even before Tezuka could properly thank her for the meal. She had refused to let him pay saying that this was her thank you gift to him for helping her get to know Shasha better.

Just when Tezuka was about to enter his house, he heard Ayuzawa-san shout at the top of her lungs.

"See you tomorrow Tezuka-kun. I had loads of fun today." She said that with so much sincerity in her voice that it made Tezuka stare her retreating back for a moment longer.

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><p>Tezuka had to prepare dinner today. It was his punishment for his tardiness. But it wasn't a difficult task for him. It was a custom in the Tezuka household for the men to do the cooking and other chores on Sundays while the women get to take a break. He knows that his grandfather being lenient with him only because it's been just a few days since his return from Germany. His body hasn't got used to the time difference yet.<p>

"Do you need any help Kunimitsu?" Ayana asked her son.

"No. Thanks, but I can manage."

"You must be tired. You came home very late," she said as she picked up a few bowls and chop-sticks to arrange the table.

"I was on cleaning duty today. Then I had to walk home a girl."

"Hm?"

He turned to his mother and told her the entire story.

Of course, he didn't mention about a fur ball getting into his pants. Some things are better left unsaid.

tbc...

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><p><strong>Response to reviews<strong>

**Lady of Elysion **- I will write about Akiko-chan physical appearance in the next chapter. She's going to meet Tezuka's family in the next chap as well so look forward to it^_^ BTW do you want me to place Akiko-chan's image instead of Tezuka's in my profile? If you want I'll upload the image of a anime girl who resembles Akiko the most:)

**Morenar - **Thank you so much and sorry for the extra trouble. I am so happy that you write reviews as well^_^


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Sorry for the delayed update.

Please enjoy the next chapter and don't forget to review^_^

**Those who want to see how Akiko looks like, please visit my profile. I am going to keep her picture as my Avatar image for 3 more days. **

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><p>Akiko stared at her journal in which she had just finished writing about her day. It had been quiet an interesting day to say the least.<p>

Who would have thought that hanging out with the ever serious Tezuka Kunimitsu would be so much fun. He wasn't the most amicable companion to be with, but after she complained, he tried his best to at least respond to her in more than one sentence. Note- he _tried,_ but failed miserably.

She thought back on what happened after she ordered two bowls of _sukiyaki_ noodles, one for each.

Tezuka had taken off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves before accepting the bowl. She had to stifle her laughter. It became obvious to her; he wasn't used to hanging out with his friends or eating at random roadside stalls. He's wasting his youth- this was the first thought that crossed her mind.

When they reached his house, Akiko was so tempted to go inside. She always dreamed of living in a _machiya*_. But her family could only afford an apartment.

A mischievous glint appeared in her soft brown eyes.

Lips curling upwards, she called her mother, "OKAA-SAN, wake me up at 6o'clock tomorrow".

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><p><em>Next morning in the Tezuka household<em>

Ayana was preparing a bento for her son, when she heard the door bell ring.

"Coming," She said and hurried to the door.

When she opened the door she was greeted by a pretty girl with waist length auburn hair and a smiling face.

"Is this Kunimitsu's house?" the girl asked her.

Ayana couldn't believe what she was hearing. She never thought that a day would come when her son would allow someone other than his close family members to call him by his first name. Actually, it's not that Tezuka doesn't allow his friends to call him by his given name, it's just that those who are close to him are people who were initially attracted to him because of his personality, before they became his friends. They respect and admire him too much to call him by his given name.

At the same time, Tezuka doesn't call others by their given names either because of his uptight disposition.

"Ayuzawa-san?" Tezuka Kunimitsu, who just came out of the dining room after having his breakfast, was surprised to see one of his classmates standing at his door step.

"Ohayou Tezuka-kun" she said, while tilting her head to the side cutely.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, bluntly and coming straight to the point.

"I came here to pick you up. Since your house is on my way to school, we can go to school together from now on," She said happily.

Ayana who was standing in between the two, simply turned to look at her son's reaction.

"…Fine." Kunimitsu decided that it's better to follow her for now. He wanted to get her out of the house before his father sees her. He did not want to become a victim to his father' over active imagination again. He remembers very well what happened when Miss. Hannah Essenheimer called him over the phone. His father took it before he could answer it. All his explanations about her being his coach and that she only called him to enquire him about his health, fell on deaf ears.

His father simply takes pleasure in teasing him to no end.

He collected his bento from the kitchen counter, bid his mother and grandfather goodbye and quickly left the house with Akiko, much to her dismay.

She had planed on at least taking a peek into the house while he got ready for school.

Well, she'll just have to come a little earlier tomorrow…and wake up early as well. That thought made her frown a bit.

She'll have to come up with some other plan.

Meanwhile Tezuka had other thoughts running in his head. He cannot consent to this arrangement. He didn't exactly know why, but he had an uneasy feeling about it. He usually used this time to go through his timetable for the day. But with Akiko there, he'd be obliged to keep her company.

He'll have to figure out a way to politely decline her offer.

Tbc…

Please R&R

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><p><em>*machiya - Traditional Japanese house in cities. <em>

**Response to reviews**

**Imnobeautyqueen: **Thank you for the review. Hope you liked this chapter

**Lady of Elysion:** Actually, Akiko herself isn't really aware of her feelings yet! Pray for this couple ^_~

**Geecee: **I also enjoy writing their conversations

**Morenar: **Thank you. I am so happy. Akiko isn't exactly in love with Tezuka. She's just curious to know more about The Famous Tezuka Kunimitsu.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry for the delay. From now on I'll be updating once in two weeks.

**Thanks a lot to those who added this story in their favorites list^_^**

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><p>While Akiko was rummaging her head for a better plan to infiltrate the Seigaku buchou's house, Tezuka spent the rest of the walk to school thinking of ways to turn her down politely.<p>

However, he promptly forgot about it, the moment morning practice began.

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><p>"Everyone!" Tezuka shouted to gather attention, "Thirty laps to warm up!"<p>

"There's Inui's Health Juice for those who lag behind." Inui added, glasses glinting eerily.

This sent chills down the spine for the entire team, except for three people.

In the end, as usual, only the regulars were able to escape the Inui juice. The rest of the members were sprawled half-dead on the ground.

"OK! Now let's practice serves and volleys. Second years in the receiving zone." Tezuka's bellowing voice resounded allover the courts.

Thus, practice proceeded normally.

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><p>It wasn't until lunch-break that Tezuka was finally able to think about his predicament with Akiko. By then, however, it was too late. Akiko was already approaching him with a sweet smile on her face.<p>

He briefly thought of lying to her that he'll have to meet up with a friend on his way to school. But pushed that thought aside, as soon as it appeared.

"I am so sorry, Tezuka-kun! I won't be able to accompany you to school." She broke the news as soon as she reached his table.

"I am sorry for breaking our promise. I know you were really looking forward to it." She continued with a rueful look, not giving Tezuka a chance to speak. But she brightened up almost instantly.

"So I came up with another solution! Let's become home-work buddies, Tezuka-kun!" She finished her monologue looking very pleased, leaving Tezuka, to wonder if there was any limit to her presumptions. He didn't know what he did that lead Akiko into thinking that he actually looked forward to walking to school with her.

He'll probably never understand.

"O! By the way, I'll wait for you near the main gate after club-activities are over." She said over her shoulder, while hurrying towards where her friends were, calling her to join them for lunch.

This whole exchange (if you can call it one) didn't go unnoticed by a certain four-eyed teen, with a green note book.

"Ii data…"

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><p>Even after rummaging around his brain for the rest of the lunch-break, Tezuka couldn't come up with a plausible excuse to refuse Akiko's proposal.<p>

In fact, he didn't mind doing home-work along with another person. He'll do his work while she'll work on her's. It's not going to disturb his schedule in any way. So Akiko is not the problem anymore.

But, his father is.

Just because he received a phone call from a woman*, his father made a dramatic talk, saying that, he dearly misses his innocent Mitsu-chan, who always spent his New Year and Christmas Eve with his family. But from now on, he'll probably spend it in a Movie Theater with his foreign girl-friend.

When he tried to explain things, his father pointed an accusing finger at him, and called him a liar. Then suddenly, his father gave him a reassuring hug, saying that it's not his fault. It's all because of that dammed puberty; otherwise his baby doesn't know how to lie to his papa.

At least, he thought, his mother would be on his side, but she decided to leave father and son to their own devices, in favor of preparing dinner.

Sometimes, he wonders if his father did it on purpose. Probably to vent off his work stress.

As much as he wished to help his father, he did not like being poked fun either.

All things considered, there is no guarantee that he will not end up embarrassing both himself and Akiko by taking her to his house.

Maybe he should suggest doing it in the library.

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><p><em>In the cafeteria: <em>

Akiko was grinning like an idiot, making her friends worry. But it went completely unnoticed by the concerned person, who was currently performing a victory dance in her head.

_You are such a genius Akiko!_ She said to herself. Probably I should treat myself to an ice-cream, maybe I can drag along Tezuka-kun as well.

She couldn't wait for club activities to be over.

OPERATION: INFILTRATE SEIGAKU BUCHOU'S HOUSE – SUCCESS.

**tbc**

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><p>*The woman is Tezuka's trainer in Germany<p>

dhione26: Thak you^_^

Lady of Elysion: There you have more of Kuniharu:) There's no one else who could make fun of Kunimitsu and get away with it. Even Fuji must have a limit!


	7. Chapter 7

Tezuka thought of asking Akiko to join him in the library for doing homework, instead of going to his house. However, when an apple shaped head, with brown hair and a smiling visage popped into his mind, he immediately dropped the idea like a burnt potato.

He'd rather face his father than face Seigaku's resident, sadistic-tensai. Which is why, they were currently walking towards his house.

They were just two blocks away from his house when he suddenly felt a tug on his sleeves.

"Ne, Tezuka-kun, let's take a small detour to that café, shall we? I'll treat you to an ice-cream!" Akiko asked him, pointing towards a small café, while smiling brightly. The café was just recently opened and Akiko wanted to try it out. It would be an added bonus to have Tezuka with her.

Little did she know that she was making Tezuka feel like a 5-year-old kid, being bribed with chocolates to follow a stranger.

When Tezuka didn't answer, she immediately understood that the boy in front of her needs a reason to do anything. Even small things like taking a break from regular routine.

"Well, we are going to become homework buddies from now on, so I thought we must celebrate it!" she said and immediately felt like hitting her head on the wall.

_What's wrong with you Akiko? That was pathetic! Can't you come up with something better than that? _

Now, Tezuka had that look on his face which made him appear like he was thinking deeply, while looking at her straight in the eye. He always seemed to choose his words very carefully. Which usually made people uneasy, but she was different, she didn't know why, but she liked having his gaze fixed on her and she always made it a point to indulge as much as possible in things which made her happy.

Which is why she promised to herself, she will follow Tezuka like a shadow for the rest of their time in Seigaku

"I've already informed my mother that we'll be arriving shortly after school. She'll be waiting." Tezuka answered her with a straight face, even though her randomness and overly outgoing nature startled him a bit.

In all honesty, he was really finding it quite difficult to respond to this girl. He just couldn't understand her logic at all. But it shouldn't be a problem. After all, he did have an interesting set of players in his team, whom he handles every day.

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><p>If Ayana was surprised to see Akiko again, she did not show it in her face. As soon as the kids changed into indoor foot wear, she ushered them into Kunimitsu's room and even brought them some home-made Senbei, to munch on while doing their homework.<p>

The first thing that Akiko noticed as soon as she entered his room was how different it was from her own. Actually, it was quite the opposite of hers. While his room was perfectly organized and tidy, hers was anything but neat.

She must agree, this place was perfect for studying. There were no posters or paintings on the walls or anything unnecessary in the room which could distract her from her work.

'_Yet, you haven't finished even a single problem in your Maths homework', _said a little voice in Akiko's head.

That's true; it's been almost an hour since they've started doing their homework. Tezuka had already finished his Maths homework and moved on to Geography. But Akiko couldn't care any less about it. She had more important work to do. For example: staring at Tezuka and noticing every minute changes in his facial expressions, like how his nose wrinkles slightly every time he reaches the end of the page and has to turn a leaf to write the next sentence.

But above all, it was the way his perpetual frown looked like a pout when he was bent over his book like that. It made him look extremely cute.

This thought made her blush. While it wasn't surprising to her that she found him attractive, since it is given that he is one of the hottest guys in school, she never thought that he would be this _irresistible._ She couldn't tear her eyes away from him.

'_Get your head out of the gutter, you silly girl!'_ The nagging little voice in Akiko's head, screamed at her.

In contrast, Tezuka was completely oblivious to the effects he was causing on the poor girl. Then again, who could blame him? After knowing people like Inui for three years, he had gotten immune to being stared or even scrutinized at.

'_You came here to look around the house, not to ogle at him…' _The little voice continued its tirade inside Akiko's head.

'_But I can't help it if I am sitting so close to him, I can almost smell his scent!' _she argued back.

'_Well look at him, is he disturbed by your presence?' _

'…_No. But that's only because he's The Tezuka Kunimitsu!'_

'_No, it's because you're a perv-_

'_I AM NOT A PERVERT! I came here only to look around the house and I am gonna do just that!'_ she screamed back in her mind and decided to take action immediately before she goes insane.

Tbc...

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><p><strong>Lady of Elysion: <strong>I also enjoyed writing that part! Inui wouldn't be showing up for a while, but his precious data will not go to waste^_~

**Morenar: **I'll try my best not to make anyone OOC. Yup! All he can do is damage control, poor Kuni-chanXD

**lynnkurapika07: **Thanks a lot! You totally made my day:D

**OROgoldenpair1: **Sorry for the wait...you might have to wait even longer for the next update. My teachers are not being kind:(


	8. Chapter 8

"…kiko!"

"…Akiko!"

"Akiko-chan!"

"Um…."

Akiko had been passing in and out of consciousness for the last 20 minutes. She remembered insisting on taking the empty plates to the kitchen, since she couldn't bring herself to ask him outright to let her take a tour around his house. Although, at first, Tezuka was reluctant to let a guest touch a used dish, when she feigned a hurt look for not being considered as his friend yet, he had no choice but to let her do as she pleased.

Then, she remembered entering the study room. There were many tall shelves lining the walls and all of them were filled with books written in Japanese, English and German as well. The German books appeared relatively new when compared to the well worn out Japanese texts. Then, she noticed a smaller cupboard in the corner of the room, its doors were slightly ajar unlike the other cupboards which were properly shut, Akiko decided to ignore it since everything in this house was too neat and proper to be true. But she wanted to check that cupboard once, before venturing into the next room. She opened the flap wider and found something which caught her interest, there was a small cardboard box with several tiny holes punched in it and somebody had hidden it beneath a few light weight books. This was enough to pique her curiosity. She immediately wanted to open it.

And opening it, she did and regretted almost instantly.

"AKIKO-CHAN!"

_Hm? Isn't that Ayana-san's voice? Why does she sound so worried?_

"Akiko-chan, can you hear me? Akiko-chan say something!"

_Ouch! That hurts! Hey! Stop slapping my cheeks!_

"Kunimitsu, we have no choice, bring some cold water and splash it on her." Ayana told her son, who was equally worried and slightly guilty as well since it was in a way his fault that Akiko was nearly scared to death a few minutes ago.

Both he and his father had found a heavily wounded ball python in their garden the day before yesterday. They decided to tend to its wounds and keep it in their house until it recovers, before handing it to the police.

Tezuka agreed on keeping it a secret from his mother only because he didn't want the snake to die, which was sure to happen if they didn't do something about it. His mother was terrified of snakes, whether poisonous or not didn't matter. So, his father convinced him that it wasn't wrong to lie if it means saving a life.

"I am very sorry, I can explain-" he tried to confess everything to his mother as soon as she found him kneeling next to a very pale and unconscious Akiko with the cardboard box which provided shelter to a injured snake, tightly secured and placed innocently on the floor.

"I've been with your father for twenty years, long enough for me to notice when he is hiding something from me," she said, implying that she's not angry with him.

At first, Ayana tried waking Akiko by sprinkling a little bit of water on her face. When it didn't produce the desired effect, Kunimitsu emptied the entire bottle of ice cold water on her.

"Aaa! What are you doing? Where am I? O God! Where did the snake go? Did it bite me? Will I die? Stop staring at me and answer me!" It was obvious to all that Akiko wasn't over her panic attack yet.

"It's inside the box which you opened." He answered her question.

Her previously very pale face was now burning red and she screamed at him, "WELL, THAT MUCH I ALREADY KNOW! WHAT I _DO_ WANT TO KNOW IS WHAT IT WAS DOING THERE?"

"We found it in the garden. It was injured, so we decided to keep it till it gets better," he said and noticed her expression changing drastically from irritation to deep regret. In fact, she looked so dejected that it almost hurt him to see her face. Ayana noticed it as well and wondered what was troubling her.

Akiko felt like she would burst into tears any moment and wanted to get out of that house before she broke down. She didn't want anybody to see her in that state, especially not Tezuka. She didn't ever want him to find out the truth about her, he'll hate her for sure, just like her parents did or worse he might never want to see her again, ever.

But Tezuka was already standing near the exit, effectively blocking her escape route.

Ayana placed her hand gently on the young girl, hoping that she could sooth her somehow. She hated to see young children sad, if they are not able to face their small problems at this age, then they have a lot more coming up in the future.

Akiko looked like she was ready to give anything, if it means she could leave without being questioned. Tezuka knew that his mother was only trying to help her, but he didn't like putting her on the spot. As much as he wanted to wipe that miserable look off her face immediately, he had no right to probe into her private matters.

"Please rest for a while, then I'll walk you home." He said and left the room immediately. Understanding what her son meant, Ayana followed behind after pouring a glass of water for Akiko to drink.

After they left her alone, Akiko felt even more depressed. She does not deserve this treatment, he was being too kind to her and she was taking advantage of it.

'_I am sorry, I am so sorry!' _

She cried herself to sleep.(She's just following Tezuka's order and taking some rest before he takes her home.)

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><p><em>A few hours later…<em>

Ayana tried to keep a stern disapproving expression while facing the two men she loved with all her heart. Tezuka Kuniharu and Tezuka Kunimitsu, both of them were very endearing in their own special ways. Kuniharu was smiling sheepishly at her, knowing that her anger wouldn't last very long while Kunimitsu looked truly apologetic. Her son always took matters too seriously and right now she felt like smacking _and _cuddling him. Smack him to put some sense into his head since it was obviously not his fault and there was no need for him to look so sorry and cuddle him because he looked so adorable to her.

"I am afraid of snakes, yes. But I am not merciless! Now both of you come in and have your dinner." She said and left without turning back.

_Let them feel sorry for a little while longer._

Both of them followed quietly, knowing from experience that it wasn't wise to talk while Ayana was angry.

While eating his dinner, Kunimitsu thought about how Akiko remained absolutely quiet the whole time when he walked her home, though it wasn't very long. Akiko always found some way to entertain herself and she never ran out of topics to talk about. His short reverie was brought to a halt when he heard his name spoken over the dinner conversation his family was having.

Looking up, he saw his father beaming at him.

"So, care to enlighten your father about your love life?" Kuniharu asked his son like every good, responsible, friendly father should.

_O no…_

_P.S. Please don't jump into conclusions and think that Akiko is an abused child._

_Tbc..._

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><p><strong> OROgoldenpair1 : <strong>Thanks for pointing that out. Hope this chapter makes it clear that she is most definitely not a mary sue. More details will be revealed after I introduce a few more OC s.

**Lady of Elysion : **Hope you liked this chapter:)


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I am extremely sorry for taking so long to update this chapter.

Thanks a lot to all the readers who waited patiently.^_^

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><p>"…and then Megumi-chan went and complained to the captain…" As usual Akiko was summarizing her day to Tezuka.<p>

It has been more than a couple of weeks since that unpleasant incident with the snake and the very next day Akiko had appeared in front of Tezuka's door step with a bright smile, offering to walk to school with him one more time. And just like that, everything went back to the way it was before that fiasco.

Thinking back, it made him wonder if the whole episode had been just a strange dream. But he could never forget the expression he saw on her face that day and what he felt at that moment. It had hurt him to see that painful expression on her face. It has happened before, with his teammates, when they got hurt he'd get more upset than anyone else though he wouldn't show it on his face.

But he had never felt helpless before, like he did now.

At first, he thought that Akiko was somewhat like Kikumaru, overly social and very outgoing. He thought that was the reason for her taking all those liberties with him as if they had been friends for years.

But the way she acted that day made him think otherwise. He had a feeling that there was something else that she wanted. But he had no right to probe into her personal affairs even if it did involve him. He was already feeling ill at ease with the way their conversations are going, while she contributed a lot, he hardly shared anything about himself. He didn't want to feel any more guilty by prying more information out of her, though he had no idea why he felt guilty. After all, he had no obligation to let her know more about himself.

"Tezuka-kun, can you come to my house tomorrow? It's my sister's birthday." Akiko asked him abruptly and the way she phrased the question made him blink.

_Did she just ask me 'can' you come?_ He wondered if he heard it correctly.

Normally he would have declined any offer to attend social gatherings not to mention a _kid's_ birthday party was definitely not his cup of tea. He was fairly certain that he would be out of place there. Yet, her stiff shoulders and the anxiousness she was desperately trying to conceal behind a bright smile just like she did two weeks ago made him decide otherwise.

Her body relaxed visibly and her face broke into a real smile.

"Alright then, we'll go straight to my house after school tomorrow" she said, skipping the rest of the way to his house.

It was amusing to see how her mood changes so swiftly, sometimes it leaves him baffled as well.

_She's like a polar opposite of me. _He thought to himself.

_Yes and polar opposites attract each other... _A voice which suspiciously sounded like Fuji's told him and he mentally shook his head to clear off the unnecessary thought.

Once they were home, she ran inside before him to ask Ayana her permission for Tezuka come to her house tomorrow, though they both know very well that she wouldn't disagree.

Within these two weeks, both Akiko and Ayana had become relatively close to each other.

It has become a habit for Akiko to take a half an hour break from studying and help Ayana with cooking. This means more often than not a dish or two made by Akiko would be served at dinner and Kuniharu doesn't need a better reason to tease Kunimitsu to his heart's content.

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><p><em>The next day, at Ayuzawa residence 4:30 A.M.<em>

Akiko bolted upright in her bed panting. She shut her eyes tightly and shook her head. She shook her head again as though she could shake the dream and the feeling out of her mind. A slight mist of sweat covered her body making her nightdress stick to her chest. She shivered and unconsciously began rubbing her arms.

An influx of images hit her once again and Ayuzawa Akiko grabbed at her head, her fingers tangling into her ruffled hair. She wanted to yank it out as though that would get rid of the images.

It was the same dream once again which had been haunting her for the past 5years. It's been a while since she last dreamt about it and she almost believed that she had moved on from that sour incident. But no, it'll probably never stop haunting her. Her actions on that day was inhuman and even the Gods wouldn't forgive her.

She covered her face with her trembling hands and caved into herself, feeling dirty.

Her eyes clamped shut so tightly her head was beginning to hurt.

Tbc…

A/N: You can look forward to more humor from the next chapter on wards^_^

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><p><strong>RESPONSE TO REVIEWS<strong>

**meowzzzz: **Thank you so much! You made me so happy:)

**hisss: **Hmm...it's kinda hard to believe what you are saying...but I'll believe you anyways!


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Hi everyone, I am introducing a new OC in this chapter. Akiko-chan's baby sister: Mika Ayuzawa, going to be 5 yrs old.

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><p>As soon as the club practices were over, Akiko brought Tezuka straight to a department store without allowing him to even go home to change into street clothes.<p>

First they went shopping for birthday gifts for the little girl. Akiko had already decided to buy some soft toys for her sister and that was how Tezuka found himself amidst children dragging in their parents to look at a few of the toys and have them bought one.

The crying.

The whining.

But looking at a collection of stuffed dinosaurs brought back memories. While he was around four or five years old, he used to be obsessed with dinosaurs. It was all thanks to his senpai-tachi at the dojo, always telling him stories about great samurai warriors defeating giant dinosaurs.

When his father bought him a pink dinosaur plushy with purple speckles on it, he tried killing it with a wooden Katana and got punished by his grandfather. He didn't understand then, why his grandfather was scolding him.

He had felt like crying. But he did not, since he was a big boy and big boys don't cry. It was the first time his grand papa scolded him.

That night, his mother came to his room and consoled him saying that it was a good dinosaur so he should treat it like a friend.

"Tezuka-kun...are you going to buy that for Mika-chan?" Tezuka looked at the stuffed animal in his hand and shook his head. It seems Akiko had found the perfect present for her sister. If the bright smile on her face was anything to go by.

"No. I don't know what your sister likes."

Akiko looked thoughtful for a while and then, "Follow. Me." was all he heard her say before she abruptly turned around and walked out of the toys section.

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><p>"How about this skirt? It's pretty, isn't it?" asked Akiko but before Tezuka could reply, she went on "No. It's too bright. It hurts my eyes!" and she disappeared into a cluster of other customers.<p>

They have been at this for the past 30 minutes and Tezuka could not take any more of this.

True, she is trying to help him.

True, he promised her to keep his schedule for the rest of the day free for her.

But, he _did not_ like wasting precious time.

He stood up and ushered her out of the shop before she could disappear again. He had made up his mind. He was going to buy _that_ as the gift.

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><p>After buying the gifts and other necessities for the party, the both of them were heading towards the Ayuzawa household.<p>

"Tezuka-kun, I am counting on you to make this birthday a memorable one for Mika-chan." Akiko suddenly said and then added, "Since you are going to be the only guest, I would very much appreciate it if you start acting a little more… amiably. My sister is too young to appreciate your curtness." She continued, trying to sound teasing although in her mind she was pleading him not leave her for not informing him earlier. She knew he would have found some reason or the other to decline her invitation, had he known that he was the only one receiving it.

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><p>"Oishi, nya!"<p>

Oishi looked at his doubles partner who had suddenly exclaimed in surprise. They were currently going to the street tennis courts with Fuji and Kawamura in tow.

"What is it Eiji?" Oishi asked, puzzled by his friends antics.

"Isn't that Tezuka and…Aki-chan?" Eiji asked, wondering what the two of them were doing together.

"Sa…what do we have here?" Fuji said opening his blue eyes. "Looks like we have missed out something ne, Inui?" he said. And Inui popped out off nowhere, scaring the other three tennis players.

"Inui, don't scare people like that!" Oishi lectured while trying to calm his rapidly beating heart.

"Ayuzawa Akiko, class 3A, same class as Tezuka Kunimitsu, first spotted talking to him 16 days ago during lunch break…" Inui paused and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "ever since that day, they have been walking home together."

"Their conversations seem to be heavily one-sided, with Tezuka accentuating it with occasional nod or monosyllabic words. But there seems to be an improvement on Tezuka's part by 13.4 percent."

He closed his trusted note book and gave a heavy sigh. "I haven't been able to listen in on their conversations since Tezuka has very keen senses; I had to keep my distance."

Fuji wasn't happy at all that he had missed this important piece of information about his favorite buchou for so long. But he looked forward to the upcoming days.

Then it occurred to him. "Ne, Inui, this is not the usual route Tezuka takes from school and it's been three hours since school ended" he said, wondering what else he had missed.

"You're right, they are returning from the shopping mall." Inui said.

"Nya, Tezuka and Aki-chan are dating?" Eiji asked, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"I highly doubt it. The probability of that happening is 0.0021 percent." Inui said while busily noting down his teammate's reactions.

"They went to a soft toy store, a kid's wear shop and-" he tried explaining his statement, but got cutoff by Kikumaru's boisterous burst of laughter.

From the look on his face, it was clear for the world, what he was thinking.

'Tezuka + Stuffed dolls =?'

**tbc...**

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><p><strong>Response to reviews<strong>

**meowzzzz: **That's very kind of you, but I'll be very happy if you put in some comments as well^_^

**hisss: **I am not able to update as often as I want to. There won't be much romance in this story for now and I am not going to reveal her secret anytime soon;p


	11. Chapter 11

__**A/N:** 7 reviews for one chapter...you people have made me so so very happy:D Thank you so much! I am not sure whether I deserve it...

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><p><em>Gosh! What was I thinking?<em>

Akiko could feel her cheeks burning up just by replaying what happened a while ago, in her mind. She was so overwhelmed by so many confusing emotions that she had been suppressing for so long.

Words seemed to have abandoned her. Without her voice, she had to thank him. So she went ahead and embraced him and cried without restrain. She thanked him again and again until she lost count of it and yet it didn't feel enough. It lasted only for less than a minute, but every thing felt dreamlike during that fleeting moment.

She felt completely relaxed, assured and _safe_, from her nightmare. It was a much needed breather for her, before she continues with her act. She wasn't ready to come out just yet. She'd been hiding it for years, constantly weary of keeping her mask in tact that it has almost become a habit. But this was undoubtedly a good enough beginning.

_This is the first time I've hugged a guy and it felt like…pressing against a brick wall!_

_Is it because of all the tough training he goes through? Or…Did he become so stiff because I freaked him out?_

_Nah, it takes more than that to freak him out. It must be his well toned muscles; he does work out a lot._

_Either way, he probably would have just pushed me away if he knew exactly what I was thanking him for._

She was only in third grade. Back then, she certainly wasn't acquainted with the notion of _death._ She had no idea what it was. After all, she was just an innocent child. Everybody around her had always been happy. She was happy too, until a stranger entered her family and took away what once belonged _only_ to her. She didn't like sharing. Every time someone oohed and aahed over the stranger, a foreign feeling welled up inside her until she couldn't take it anymore. Being a child she acted on instinct without thinking about the consequences. She didn't know that it would cause pain to her loved ones or that she would have to carry the burden of her action for the rest of her life.

_Do I really deserve to be happy? Can I even wish for that?_

_If only someone could please answer my question…_

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><p>"So, did you meet her father?" Kuniharu asked his son during dinner with an inane grin plastered on his face, which always meant a headache for the latter.<p>

"No." Came Kunimitsu's curt reply.

"Her brother?"

"She doesn't have one."

"Really? Good for you son!"

"…"

"Big brothers are always more troublesome than fathers. Take your own uncle for example, when I dated your mother…"

"Haru-chan…Do you want a refill?" Ayana asked with a sweet tone, a little too sweet than the usual, which meant that 'Haru-chan' will be in big trouble if he doesn't stop immediately.

"But Aya-chan, Kunimitsu's at _that_ age, he needs his father's help!"

"That's enough! You've been teasing him on a regular basis these days. Don't mess up with his head for the sake of your personal amusement!" Ayana said with a disapproving frown.

If Kunimitsu's mind hadn't been preoccupied, he would have been mildly amused by this exchange.

_What was that all about? What is she hiding? Why did she look so…so tormented?_

Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have entered her house after knowing that he was the only one invited for the occasion and that no one else would be home with them other than the little birthday girl whom they have to pick up from a neighboring house. Though he was partially relieved that there wouldn't be a big crowd of people, the idea of visiting a classmate's house while her parents aren't home, didn't sit well in his mind.

But he didn't have the heart to desert her when it was painfully obvious that she needed help, no matter how much she tried to hide the fact.

_Her eyes, they are always so expressive…at the same time concealing as well._

_It is like she wants let me to know something at the same time wants to hide it from me as well._

_Why? Is it out of fear? Of what?_

"Kunimitsu, at what time will you be home tomorrow? You said that you'd be going to the beach with your team, right?" Ayana asked her son while wondering weather she should pack some sort of refreshments for the entire team.

"The usual time. May be a half an hour late, not more than that." Kunimitsu answered.

The regulars were awarded a full day permission with attendance to go to the beach and enjoy themselves since they had been performing wonderfully in the tournaments. Coach Ryuzaki had announced this last week, after a particularly harsh afternoon practice. Everybody was over the moon after hearing this, except for the vice-captain, Oishi Shuichiro who was left alone to worry,_ 'What if someone drowns?'_

_TBC..._

_****__A/N: I am sorry about skipping the b-day scene...I wasn't in the mood for fun and this chapter kinda reflects my feelings. _

_**Please R&R**_

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><p><strong>Response to reviews:<strong>

**blackrabbit99: **Well, I've dropped some hints about Akiko's nightmare here and I'll continue to do so in the upcoming chapters. Sorry to disappoint you by skipping the B-day party...I am really not in a mood for fun and all and this chapter kinda reflects my own feelings. Thanks a lot for the review^_^

**meowzzzz: **Thank you:) Hope you like this chapter. Tezuka and the regulars will be going to the beach in the next chap to take a break and _relax..._;p

**Lady of Elysion:** Thanks for the constant support:)

**RockPrincess410:** Thank you. I am happy to hear that it was humorous...I was kinda worried whether people would find my jokes funny!

**OROgoldenpair1: **Hope this chapter was to your liking and thanks for reviewing, it's my motivates me:)

**semira mol: **Hope you like this chapter semira-san^_^ Thanks for the review:)

**hisss: **I've dropped some hints for you...tell me what you think^_^


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Hi everyone, I'm really sorry about the delay. I was kind of busy with a lot of things lately and on top of it I got side tracked by another fandom…So I've made this chapter as long and as interesting as I could, to the best of my ability. Hope you'd all enjoy it^_^

I also have a bad news for you guys, I'll only be able to make my next update at least 3 weeks from now. I have valid reason for this though…my final semester is coming up!

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><p>Tezuka spent most of his time during the bus ride to the beach by gazing at the passing scenery as it turned from the hectic city into a more natural setting. Usually he would have spent the time reading some book but the moment he opened the new mystery novel he had just purchased, Ryuzaki-sensei plucked it away from his hand telling him that this outing was for all of them to relax their mind and body before they once again start training fervently for the next round of the tournament. So they are forbidden from touching a racket or a book for the rest of the day.<p>

He zoned out his teammates' antics during the first half of the ride when they were acting boisterously. Even though he wasn't very fond of the commotion his teammates were creating, he wasn't so cruel as to order them to keep quiet while they were on a picnic. After many hours, most of them were asleep, some were even drooling on their shirts.

The click of a shutter in action followed by a flash brought a frown on to his face.

"Fuji!" Tezuka sent the smiling tensai a pointed look, tired of reminding him time and again that he did not like anybody taking his photograph.

"Sa… Tezuka, don't worry, this is just an ordinary camera, it cannot see through your clothes" Fuji responded with a charmingly wide smile, unperturbed by the chilling stare sent in his direction.

Thus it was one very long bus ride to the beach for the bespectacled teen, courtesy of one insufferable Fuji Syusuke.

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><p>Cool sea breeze playing with his honey-brown locks.<p>

The warmth of the Sun light over his bare skin.

The sound of gentle waves slap-lapping the beach.

Tezuka felt all the tension leave his body. Though resting in the beach cannot be compared to gazing at the stars from the top of a mountain, he would be lying if he were to say that he didn't find this quite relaxing as well.

Some of the regulars were playing beach volley ball with another group of boys who were already playing the game when they arrived. Inui was busy collecting oddly formed sea shells. Momo and Eiji were fooling around with Echizen, using his short physique to their advantage.

He was putting away the little Wasabi*-chan plush doll cell phone strap in his backpack, which he bought for Akiko** from a small shop near the place where they stopped for refreshments on their way. Fuji decided to explore the shop to see if he could find any souvenirs he could take back home and asked Tezuka to accompany him. So he ended up buying a new tea cup for his father and an ornamental hair clip for his mother. It was both elegant and simple, so he knew that his mother would like it. That was when he spotted the little key chains hanging inside a glass cupboard, it wasn't expensive and it certainly looked like something she would like***. Before he knew it, he had purchased the item. If Fuji had found it amusing, he had wisely chosen not to comment about it.

_It is just to show appreciation for the dinner which she prepares almost everyday for my family._ He told himself firmly.

He caught sight of his friend Oishi in his peripheral vision, walking towards him with a hesitant expression on his face.

"Oishi." He said, in a way of greeting when his friend reached him.

Oishi nodded and sat down on the sand next to Tezuka and observed their teammates for a while in companionable silence before starting the conversation which he deemed necessary to have with his friend.

"Tezuka, you do know that you can talk to me about anything that's troubling you, right? I mean, there's no need to have any secrets between best friends and you know that I am not judgmental."

Tezuka felt truly lost, he had not idea why his friend brought this up now. Oishi seemed to be waiting for some sort of response from him, so he made a slight nod with his head and waited for his friend to continue so that he could make some sense out of this unexpected conversation.

"I understand how you feel. Since you are both still in junior high school, you must be feeling apprehensive about revealing your relationship to others. But that's what friends are for! We'll support you in your decisions, though I honestly never thought that you'd be the first one in our group to find yourself a girlfriend." Oishi finished his talk with a kind smile to make sure that his friend understood that he will always be there for him.

Tezuka felt a migraine approaching and willed away the urge to let out a sigh and massage the bridge of his nose. Though he had an inkling as to where his friend got this, rather appalling idea from, he needed to make sure of it and also ensure that Oishi realizes that this is all just a misunderstanding.

"Oishi, I am not hiding anything from you and most certainly I don't have a girlfriend." Tezuka said, while looking at his friend in the eye so that his friend would know that he is not lying.

"But, Tezuka you don't have to hide it from me! I promise I won't judge you based on this…none of us will. Besides, we already saw both you and Ayuzawa-san together on a date at a shopping mall and walking home together from school."

Tezuka's eyes widened slightly behind his glasses, even though he had to some extent predicted this reply. Still, it was rather disturbing to think that his teammates would consider himself and Akiko to be in a relationship based on this alone.

Before he could come up with a reply to assure his friend that there is nothing going on between himself and Akiko, Oishi had already started speaking again.

"I know you are a very private person, Tezuka. I respect your privacy, but we need to discuss this. You are both too young to get into a serious relationship and if you are not very careful with your actions then there might be some serious repercussions you might end up facing. I am not saying that you are careless or anything…but you are both teenagers! You shouldn't spend too much time with Ayuzawa-san, it will be dangerous if you were to lose control of yourself and…"

_It's going to take a long time to calm his friend and convince him that it was all just a misunderstanding…_

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><p>Back home, Akiko was having some serious sneezing fits making her wonder if she's coming down with something.<p>

_Or could it be that somebody's thinking of me?_

Earlier that evening, she'd gone to Kunimitsu's house wondering why he had skipped school that day, only to be informed by his mother that he and his teammates were given the day off to go to the beach, courtesy of their school head who thought it appropriate that the boys were given a well deserved break before they return once again to a rather crazy training schedule.

She'd made up her mind then that she'll have to make something for Tezuka as well to appreciate his hard work. Though it irked her a bit that he hadn't informed her about this himself.

_But, what am I going to make for him? He's not one to appreciate lavish spending of money, not that I have much left in my pocket…_

_**Tbc…**_

_**R&R **(I'd love to hear your opinion^_^)_

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><p>* Wasabi (わさび（山葵）, originally 和佐比; Wasabia japonica or Eutrema japonica), is a member of the Brassicaceae family, which includes cabbages, horseradish, and mustard. It is also called Japanese horseradish, although it is not actually from the horseradish species of plants. Its root is used as a condiment and has an extremely strong flavor. The image is available on the net, just type "Wasabi-chanPlush Doll Cell Phone Strap" and Google search it.<p>

******After reaching the 12th chapter, I thought it's above time that Tezuka started addressing Ayuzawa Akiko by her given name at least in a subconscious level…

***Akiko has a big bunch of keychain hanging from her schoolbag and her pencil pouch…that's where Tezuka got this impression from.

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><p><strong>Response to reviews:<strong>

**Hisss**: Thanks for the review and all your encouragements dear…but too bad I'll still have to keep it a suspense…so be patient^_^ I'm happy that you tried to figure that out. Arigatou:)

**little kettle: **Welcome little kettele. I'm surprised that my fanfic is still attracting new reviewers… and I am glad that you find it interesting^_^

**semiramol: **haha…I also enjoyed writing the 2nd part. I am glad that I have a reader who notices every little detail :)

**blackrabbit99: **Thanks for reviewing…and your compliment as well! It means a lot^_^

**itgirl18: **Her relationship with her parents is not strained at all…yes, a dear one died when she was young. This is all I can say for now :) I didn't plan it to be angst…it turned out that way so I'll do my best to make the mood more cheerful^_^


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Hello everyone^_^ I've made this chaper extra long to make up for the delay!

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><p>Tezuka reached home after a very long day at the beach. Finally he could relax. He could feel his sweat soaked t-shirt sticking uncomfortably to his back. As soon as he reached home, he wanted to get out of his drenched clothes and have a nice, long bath. It was extremely hot, even for a summer day.<p>

Too bad none of that is going to happen any time soon. For as soon as he entered his house, it wasn't his mother who welcomed him as usual. Instead, it was one very happy looking Ayuzawa Akiko who greeted him.

"Welcome home, Tezuka-kun" Akiko said, with a very contagious smile on her face.

"…I'm home." Tezuka replied, unsure of what was happening.

Noticing Tezuka's puzzled expression, Akiko answered the unasked question. "Ayana-san has gone for some grocery shopping. I came here to give you the notes for today's lessons, which you missed. So she asked me to wait here for you…and I want to show you something."

The last part was murmured so quietly that Tezuka almost didn't catch it. She was looking at the floor, as if it was the most interesting thing in the world, and appeared to be distinctly uncomfortable. A short silence extended between them, after which she finally looked at him and noticed the way his golden-brown locks were plastered to his forehead and watched the sweat trickling down from the roots of his hair cascade down the smooth skin of his face, neck and disappear into his already sweat damped shirt. A slight pink hue spread across her cheeks before she regained her senses and fought back the blush.

"Ah! You must want to take a shower…um, Come to the kitchen after you're done. I'll be waiting." She said quickly, before running into the house, towards the kitchen.

Tezuka shook his head slightly and proceeded towards his room, wondering about the cause of her strange behavior, _this_ time. However, before he could close the door he heard her yell from the kitchen "I'll give you 10 minutes, no more if you don't want me to barge in."

_She's back to her normal self, I guess._ Knowing her, he didn't want to exceed the time limit, for she might just do what she said.

Quickly grabbing a towel he entered the bathroom. He would have preferred a longer bath, but he was also curious to know what was waiting for him in the kitchen.

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><p>At first, when Akiko learned from Ayana-san, that Tezuka was absent to school not because he was sick, but because he had gone to the beach with his teammates, she felt disappointed. She wished that Tezuka had informed her about it himself. Then she remembered that she was the one who needed him. She was the one who had forced her way into his well-ordered life. He had no reason to cooperate with her selfish actions. Yet, he has been very accommodating so far.<p>

Determined to return his favor, if only a bit, she started thinking of different ways in which she could thank him. There were countless ways in which she could do that, the problem was, she didn't know whether they would be up to his liking.

She knows that Tezuka wasn't one for extravagance. Every aspect of him pointed to that fact. But she couldn't bring herself to settle down for anything less than the best when it came to him, he deserved nothing short of it. That's when she came up with this idea. This should satisfy them both.

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><p>Akiko looked up at the sound of a door sliding open and saw Tezuka enter the room. She got up from where she was seated and moved towards the refrigerator.<p>

"Take your seat, Tezuka-kun and close your eyes. I don't want you to open them until I ask you to." She said and waited for him to do as she asked.

Tezuka decided to humor her by pulling out a chair for himself and closing his eyes. He waited patiently.

Akiko, after making sure that Tezuka wasn't cheating, brought out the desserts she prepared and arranged them neatly on the table.

"You can open your eyes now." She said, and waited with bated breath to see his reaction.

Tezuka opened his eyes slowly and was surprised at the sight which greeted him.

There, in front of him, lay an assortment of delicious looking, elaborately decorated desserts. Before he could come up with a coherent response, Akiko beat him to it by listing out the names what was laid in front of.

"Adzuki bean jelly, Matcha muffin with sweetened Adzuki beans and Adzuki bean ice cream. I've also made Adzuki bean Popsicles out of the leftovers. I left them in the freezer, so you can try them later on. I only used brown sugar, so it's completely healthy… Which one do you want to try first?" She asked quietly, peeking a look at him to gauge his reaction.

"You did all this for me? Why?" He wanted to thank her, but couldn't prevent himself from asking this question first.

Akiko looked even more uncomfortable right then. But she answered him nonetheless. "You refused to come with me to the new café the other day, so I realized that maybe you don't like hanging out after school much…but I really wanted to give you a treat. When Ayana-san told me that the principal had arranged an outing for your team to encourage all of you, I too wanted to do something for you. That's why I used Adzuki beans to make all these…instead of Sekihan*."

Tezuka felt the anxiety rolling off from her in waves. The sheer amount of hard work and the thoughtfulness behind her actions rendered him speechless. He thought about what Ooishi said while they were at the beach, and shook his head. _Akiko-san is a good friend. Otherwise she wouldn't go through all this trouble to understand me and then find ways to accommodate both our needs. If she were my girlfriend, she'd either be complaining or be busy trying to change me._

Tezuka got up from his place and pulled out another chair opposite to his own. "You should join me then." He said gently, "If we were at that café, wouldn't you be dining with me? There is more than enough for both of us."

Akiko felt her cheeks heat up at his kind words. "I m-made them for y-you and Ayana-san…" She stammered slightly.

"We'll leave some for mother then. I want you to join me now."

Akiko was sure that her face must look like a ripe tomato right then. After hearing that gentle command, she quietly got another plate for herself and sat down along with him.

Now that everything was settled, Tezuka started quietly savoring the sweet taste of the ice cream. It was the least that he could do. He watched Akiko eat her own share and noticed her outfit for the first time. She was wearing a cute frilly pale yellow skirt with a matching blouse which complemented her soft brown eyes and auburn hair beautifully. He had never seen her in anything but their school uniform. Even when they went shopping for her baby sister's birthday, they didn't have enough time to change into street clothes. The big smiling sunflower embroidered on her blouse gave off a childish aura. But the dress itself looked elegant, it hugged her body in the right places which brought out her curves…Tezuka quickly averted his gaze. It was rude to stare at people.

Unknown to him, the soft spot he'd always held for Akiko shifted and tilted on its axis, turning itself inside out, transforming into something entirely different.

Akiko fidgeted nervously. She wanted to know whether he liked the tasted good or not. She made changes while preparing it, in order to make it more healthy. She took a furtive glance in his direction to see his reaction and felt her heart skip a beat when her eyes met with his unshielded ones. He wasn't wearing his glasses and his eyes were closed slightly. He seemed to be enjoying the taste quietly.

_He must have removed his glasses since he's at home and not going to read, or play tennis._ A distant part of her mind, which wasn't busy ogling him reasoned.

He looked much younger and approachable without them. The expression on his face was serene, though it had the opposite effect on her. She had admitted to herself long ago that Tezuka was beyond handsome. But now she felt like he was getting more and more attractive each day. She was sweating, and it had nothing to do with the blazing sun outside.

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><p><em>A couple of hours later… <em>

Akiko stood near the front door and bowed to Tezuka slightly before turning around to leave. But Tezuka stopped her from doing so by placing a hand on shoulder and turning her around gently.

"Allow me to thank you properly," he said. "The desserts were very delicious and I appreciate the thought and effort you have put into it. Thank you very much for the pleasant evening."

The words made her with their usual directness. The honesty tied her stomach up in knots because she didn't deserve that kind of admiration. What has she done to deserve it?

Tezuka pulled the small sachet which contained the key-chain he bought for her out of his pocket and held it out for her to take.

"It's just a small souvenir I bought for you near the beach." He said, and felt slightly embarrassed, not because it was unusual of him to buy gifts for others but because what he held in his hands paled terribly in front of what she did for him. He decided then, that the next time she asked for something thing out of a whim, he'd indulge her, just once though.

**Please read the notes below to understand the significance in Akiko's choice of ingredients for the desserts.**

_Tbc…_

_Please R&R_

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><p><strong>Notes<strong>:

* Sekihan is a type of food. It is so strongly connected with celebration that the phrase "Let's have sekihan" has acquired the meaning "Let's celebrate". It is believed that sekihan is used for celebrations because of its red color, symbolic of happiness in Japan. The key ingredient in sekihan, which gives it the red color, is the Adzuki beans. It also has the additional benefit of being highly nutritious. This is why Akiko uses Adzuki beans in all the desserts she prepared, to thank and encourage Tezuka.

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><p><strong>Response to reviews:<strong>

**Morenar: **Welcome back Morenar-san ^_^ Well, somebody will have to take up the responsibility of 'warning' the 'young couple', right? ;P

**Sem Rowz-10: **Akiko doesn't prepare dinner for his family. She just helps out Ayana-san in the kitchen whenever she takes a little break from studying…and sometimes ends up making a dish or two :)

Of course Tezuka endured "the talk" with Ooishi with a perfectly straight face. He wouldn't be Tezuka if he couldn't manage even that!

**itgirl18: **Oishi is a fun character to write. I suppose it's partly because Oishi is the only character, other than Kuniharu, whom I could use to torture Tezuka! Even Fuji will have to maintain a limit if he doesn't want to face Tezuka's wrath. But Oishi does it unknowingly with the team's welfare in mind, so Tezuka cannot do anything about it. :)

**blackrabbit99: **I loved writing that part! I had to control myself with a lot of difficulty to keep me from going overboard and turning the characters into ooc! You'll have to wait patiently to know Akiko's secret…once its reveled, the story's over. Though I'm not sure whether you'll still like her after her secret is revealed! That's the main reason why this story is rated-T.

**hisss: **I also wish to turn Kunimitsu and Akiko into a couple…but it can't be helped if Tezuka isn't comfortable with anything beyond "good friends". He can be really hard headed and stubborn sometimes! Besides…"When/why/how will a person fall in love with another?" This is a question which has been bugging me for a while now. If you could answer this, then I'll grant your wish!


	14. Chapter 14

Watching the Koi fish swimming in circles in the pond, Akiko's mind wandered elsewhere. She thought of her reaction to Tezuka's compliment yesterday and felt like hitting her head on one of the rocks placed next to her in the elegantly decorated rock garden in Tezuka's backyard.

She sighed deeply. Just when she thought that she had found a solution to her long standing problem, a bigger trouble presented itself through the solution she had been chasing after!

She already knew that she was attracted to his good looks. She was resigned to that fact because there was no helping it. Most of the girls in the school also liked him that way. But after yesterday's encounter, she realized that she might be feeling a little more than attraction towards him. Her mind was treading into dangerous territories, unbidden. She was feeling really self-conscious around him, which was ridiculous since normally, he wouldn't even notice her unless she went out of her way to gain his attention. Lady Fate must be very cruel to make her fall in love at a time like this, and with _him _of all the people in the world.

If she allows this feeling to continue to grow, then it would definitely lead to disaster. She didn't want to deal with a heart break on top of everything else. She didn't come to this conclusion because she was thinking pessimistically and definitely not because she thought that Tezuka was incapable of love. No, she knew very well that beneath it all, he was a really kind man. She was the one at fault. She doesn't deserve to be loved by a person like him.

She thought of the first time she met him and how much her opinion of him has changed since then. He was free of blemishes and she envied him for that during the 1st semester of their freshmen year.

It was during the disgraceful incident caused by a senpai, who had hurt him in such a way that it would endanger his future in tennis. When she heard those words uttered from his lips, trembling with pain and anger – "Tennis is not used to hurt people!" she thought that he was just another pretty boy with a self-righteous attitude. But when she saw him accept the responsibility of carrying Seigaku's burden in his shoulders and becoming its pillar of support, she found respect in her heart for him, which only continued to grow over the years.

She mused how he would have turned out had he not been an only child, had he a sibling like she did. _He would probably become the perfect older sibling a person could ask for,_ she concluded. After all, he wasn't like her, easily overcome by jealousy. He would never do what she did. He was someone who saves a life, his kindness extended even to dying snake; unlike her… _he would never harm another life, let alone the life of his own flesh and blood._

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><p>Tezuka found Akiko crouched near the edge of the pond. He face was partially hidden from view by the shadow formed by her long auburn locks. She was worrying her lips and her posture screamed desolation.<p>

Tezuka didn't like what he saw, not after she went through so much trouble to cheer him just yesterday.

Sometimes he wondered just what exactly was going on in her mind. The girl was full of contradictions. He's been waiting for her to open up for so long since he cannot prod into her business. He can only be a silent support during the mean time and encourage her in the right direction. But his patience was wearing thin. Just how long was he supposed to watch suffer silently while hiding everything behind a mask of playfulness?

At first, he thought that she was just another overly outgoing person like Momoshiro but that impression didn't last long. He noticed that she wasn't nearly as imposing at school as she was with him. At school she acted quite polite with their peers. She only took advantage of him. The thought didn't anger him like it should, since he felt that she needed him. The incident with the ball python just drew the point home. He wondered which one of the two was her true self.

However, lately even that has been changing. She seemed to be more considerate towards him. No longer acting like the little terrorist who stormed her way into his life. Not that he was complaining. It was a good change, but he considered what trigged that change.

For now, he wanted to cheer her up. Let's call it a payback for yesterday's treat. With that goal in mind, he approached her from behind.

"Is something wrong, Ayuzawa-san?" He asked her quietly, so as to not startle her.

"Huh? Nothing, everything's fine." She said, in a way which clearly informed him something was definitely _not_ alright.

"These Koi fishes are very old." He said, facing the pond. "They are trained to be hand fed. If you want, you can try feeding them now." Spending time with the fish always gave him a peace of mind. He hoped it would work for her as well.

"Hand fed? I'd like to try!" Akiko said regaining her spirit at the offer. It was a rare opportunity. Usually, some fishes won't even come to the surface level while a stranger is nearby.

"Alright then, but you must remain quiet and very still." He said and took one small stone and lightly tapped it on one of the larger stones at the edge of the pond. It was supposed to act as a fish 'dinner bell' and signal the fish that it was feeding time. He was certain that his grandfather wouldn't be pleased to find him feeding the fish one hour before it was there time for meal.

He threw a small amount of food in the pond, just enough to let the fish know its feeding time. But also kept some in his hand and submerged it just below the water and kept still for a few minutes until the fish came to feed. Akiko followed his actions with curious eyes and then mimicked him. She scooped some fish food, which looked like chicken nugget, with her hand and gently lowered it below the surface of the water.

Akiko felt her breath taken away from her when a large _Matsukawabake*_ came to the surface of the pond to feed from her hand. It looked absolutely stunning in its beauty as well as frightening with the size of its body. It was more than three feet long.

"It's named after me." Tezuka whispered in her ears from where he sat beside her. "We share the same birthday, though it's much older than me. Grandfather bought it when I passed the first level in judo."

"It's huge! But pretty too…it's fitting, I guess." She whispered back. "What about the one you're feeding?" She asked pointing to the red and white* Koi he was feeding.

"This one was named after my deceased grandmother, Hideko." He said.

"Oh…I'm sorry." She apologized awkwardly.

"Don't be. She died long before I was born." He said, and continued as an afterthought, "Father said that she is even stricter than grandfather."

"Really? I wish I could meet your grandpa. I'm looking forward to that day." She said excitedly.

Tezuka whished that day would never come or at least not until Akiko learns to put a lid on her curiosity and hyper activeness.

Meanwhile, Akiko smiled sadly. While she truly grateful and happy even, that he is taking effort to cheer her up, she wished that he wouldn't be so kind to her. Maybe then, she wouldn't have to feel so guilty.

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><p>Unknown to the couple, a certain chestnut haired boy was watching them from a distance, with an unrecognizable gleam in his startlingly azure eyes.<p>

Tbc…

**R&R**

A/N: I believe Fuji is very protective of those who are important to him. Since Tezuka is his best friend, I don't think he'll keep quiet if _he_ _feels_ that Tezuka is serious about a girl… Look forward to an exasperating tensai in the next chapter :)

Constructive criticism are most welcomed ^_^

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><p><strong>Notes: <strong>_***Matsukawabake: **_Although it is regarded as a black koi, it is popular for its changing colors. Its life span ranges from 35 to 200 years! It can grow up to four feet long.

Koi fish symbolizes perseverance in adversity and strength of purpose. So I thought Tezuka's grandfather would buy something meaningful for his grandson's first victory.

_***the red and white koi **_which Akiko asks about is called _Kuchibeni. _It symbolizes love. So Kunikazu named after his deceased wife.

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><p><strong>Response to reviews:<strong>

**Morenar: **Well, I use glasses as well and trust me, it really trying to keep them on during summer. Especially when you are sweating buckets and they keep sliding off your nose! I hope you like this chapter as well :)

**Hisss: **Why do I get your shortest review for my longest chapter? You haven't answered my question yet and until you do, Tezuka and Akiko won't become a couple; D

**Blackrabbit99: **I'm glad you didn't dump my story! Thanks for your continued support ^_^ I've given you more clues in this chapter.

**Sem Rowz-10: **Another long and exclusive Kunimitsu/Akiko chapter for you ^_^ I try my best to make Tezuka a really sweet guy at every opportunity I get… without making him ooc – that's the difficult part!


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